So, You Wanna be a Missionary?

We left for the mission field in 2002. Here's a picture of us with our packed truck ready for our Panamerican Adventure! My, our truck looks great and we look so young...and refreshed!
Sometimes I wonder if missionary life isn't some cruel version of Survivor. Every week we hear news of another faithful one that's bit the dust. Don't get me wrong, we're no "Super Missionaries." Although we've come along way, baby, we're still spring chickens and we continue to be humbled and refined every.single.day.

We're learning about what it takes to be a missionary; not just a quick-stint missionary, but a missionary for the long haul. Here's a few characteristics that we're working on:

1. Pioneer Spirit. If you're the type of person that likes everything neat and pretty and handed to you on a silver platter, do not try missions. In many cases, you will be starting projects from scratch, everything takes longer and requires a lot of sweat equity. It's getting your hands down and dirty with the nationals and learning to do things their way, not yours.

2. Age doesn't matter. I thought (naively) that younger missionaries are the best because of their energy and passion. I no longer judge a book by it's cover! Some of the most committed, wisest, loving folks we've seen serving cross-culturally are over the age of, well.... their hair color has evolved.

3. Infinite Flexibility. Can we tell you how important this is? We are both type "A" personalities. We like to be on time, we like things planned and we like to be in control. Well, let's just say that after seven years of serving in a "Don't worry, be happy" culture, we're not sure what our personality type is anymore! But, I would have acquired a stress-related illness had I not readily embraced very reluctantly changed my expectations and loosened up.

4. Dependent upon the Lord. You are not IT. The country you serve was doing fine before you came and they will continue on when you leave. You are not the Savior and you NEED Jesus-every day. Don't let the good you are doing, and the relationships you are building feed your ego. Nurture your intimate relationship with the Almighty. You are on a mission that's great than you are and you need Him.

5. Stick it out. When the going gets tough, don't bail out! Missionary work is the toughest job you'll ever love. You will have days where you think you've landed on Mars. You will feel lonely, discouraged, unappreciated and you will miss the food back home. Suck it up and stay with it. You'll find your groove and those days of culture shock and not understanding the culture will pass.

6. Find support. Where we live, there are no other missionaries (or English speakers) within a four hour drive of us. While we miss the idea of a "missionary community" we have an incredible support of friends, churches, family back in the States that write us encouraging emails, snail mail (we love letters!), and call us on skype. Thankfully, the modern technological age helps keep us connected. More than emotional support, spiritual support is a must. We have 2-4 prayer partners that we can write anytime and they are praying for us on a continual basis. This is crucial for our sustenance.

7. Be a Learner. Learn a little and use it a lot. Don't arrive into your host culture and act like a know-it-all. Be vulnerable and show your human side. While I really dislike looking like a fool in public, I realize how much closer it brought me to the people I serve. They just love it when they can teach me something and it keeps me good and humble, something that God wants in all of us.

Feliz Cumpleaños Alternativa!

Today is Radio Alterntiva's 10th birthday. It's hard to believe that 10 years ago Norberto was making the preparations for the license and the frequency, which is a miracle that OUR solicitation was accepted from many more lucrative and political organizations that made petitions for the one frequency opening in our town. Norberto came to the States two weeks before the radio was launched. This is what the radio looked like when we returned to serve at the station in 2002. Radio Alternativa 92.7 FM started broadcasting in the basement of the radio, because the building wasn't finished. There was one staff person who did everything from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.! Now there are 10 people on staff and the building, as you can see, is almost complete. Here's a picture of the morning team broadcasting to hundreds of homes and businesses. During a 30 minute block on the show, we received 120 text messages from the audience sending us birthday wishes! The Radio has 60 km radius and because of the Parana River which helps carry radio waves, we have a tremendous audience in Misiones, Argentina as well! We offer Christian counseling, events (marriage retreats, women's conferences, camps for kids, concerts, adventure racing for youth), talks in the public/private high schools and we have a Christian bookstore.

We thank God for the ministry of Alternativa and we ask that the Lord would continue to guide every aspect of this ministry and that it would be used for His glory. We pray that the Lord would bless and prosper it economically and that its outreach would continue to impact the community.

Happy Birthday 92.7, we're so happy to be part of the team!

Can We Share a Need?

This is Radio Alternativa, the Christian radio where we serve. We have an audience of 500,000 and we are consistently reaching new listeners! One of our current URGENT needs is for a generator at the radio station. Here in Paraguay we are constantly frustrated with the blessed beneficiaries of power outages on an almost daily basis. The constant power fluctuations take a huge toll on the radio equipment, especially the transmitter.

If you noticed our thermometer on the right hand side of the website, we are raising money for a 17 kva generator. A generator will allow us to continue to broadcast to the greater population despite recurrent power surges and outages. That would make us the ONLY radio station to continue on air when the power goes out. Since we are the only Christian radio station in southern Paraguay and we broadcast the Good News 24 hours a day (with 12 hours live programming) we feel that a generator is an important tool for us to beat out the competition on the airwaves and to encourage new listeners to tune in to local news, weather and high quality, Christian programming.

Our goal is to buy the generator before we go on furlough, this May and currently we are 31% of the way to our goal. If you or your church would like to help us purchase this needed ministry tool, please click here or on the green donate button on the right hand side of this blog and specify that your gift is for the "Paraguay Generator."

Since the radio is the best means of communication in this country (we have no state or local newspaper), we feel like we would really have an edge on the airwaves if we could continue transmitting the hope of Jesus in good weather and in bad weather. Thank you for helping us spread the Word!

Fighting Discouragement in the Busyness of Life

Hubby and I have made an agreement not to talk about sensitive issues after 10:00 p.m. It’s a rule in our household because when we were first married our late night talks would turn into fights and we would say hurtful things, because we were tired and our reasoning senses were shot. We eliminated almost all arguments with that simple rule.

Exhaustion takes the best out of a person. Another new book on the market,talks about the high burnout rate among pastors. In reading reviews of the book, the author says that lack of sleep is one of the main causes of burnout.

I’m reading this book that also deals with the correlation of sleep deprivation and discouragement. It’s a book for overactive people who are seeking to strengthen a love relationship with the Lord. Being in the ministry, I feel the demands of people’s needs constantly. Daily, we hear claps at the door to pray, to chauffeur people around, to do weddings, funerals, to lead Bible studies, to counsel just about any problem imaginable. When the day is done and my body is exhausted, my soul is weary, and I lay awake staring at the ceiling, and I wonder if God is really listening.

It doesn’t matter what your job title is, weariness that leads to discouragement or depression is a danger for all busy people. Over activity is an epidemic problem in our modern age. I can get so physically exhausted with all the hats I wear, I just don’t have strength to pour into my relationship with God. It is no coincidence that this book lists lack of sleep as the number one reason for discouragement. Here are a few suggestions from the author for fighting discouragement:

1. Allow for rest stops. Discouragement is often our body’s way of saying “Stop! I need rest.” Try taking a nap or getting to bed a little earlier. It’s amazing how different things will look in the light of morning. (Ex. 34:21)

2. Get a new point of view. Take a few steps back and ask God to help you see his perspective on your situation. Often what seems to be an impassable mountain in our eyes is only a steppingstone in his (Isaiah 33:17)

3. Have Patience. It’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t go the way you planned. But if you’ve committed your concerns to the Lord, you can be sure he is at work, even when you don’t see his hand (Romans 8:28).

4. Mingle. Discouragement feeds off isolation. Get out of the house! Go visit some friends. It’s amazing how good, old-fashioned fellowship can lift our spirits and chase away the blues. (Psalm 133:1)

5. Set the timer. Okay. So things aren’t so good. I’ve found it helpful to set the oven timer and allow ten minutes for a good cry. But when the buzzer sounds, I blow my nose, wipe my eyes, and surrender my situation to the Lord so I can move on (Ecclesiastes 3:4). p. 21

Here are my added suggestions:

6. Turn on the music. There is nothing like praise music to wipe away the doldrums. Unconsciously, I start singing the words to a song of adoration and I begin to forget what’s weighing me down.

7. Count your blessings. I tend to focus on the negative when I’m down in the dumps. Writing down what I’m thankful for helps me intentionally put my focus on the positive aspects of life. We are very fortunate and it’s important to thank God for what we do have.

8. Walk and Talk. When I’m frustrated or doubtful, I find it helpful to breathe fresh air and talk to God on a walk. I tell him whatever’s on my heart while looking around at the beautiful nature He’s created. It seems to help to get things off my chest and helps to take in the majesty of creation.

9. Write about it. Once a concern is on paper, I can let it go easier than when it’s still spilling around in my head. I put concerns in a little notebook and then when I close the cover, I try to release it. When it comes to mind again, I pray about it and ask God to take that burden from me so it doesn’t continue to weigh me down during the day.

What are your ways for handling discouragement, doubt and disappointment?

$100 Pair of Pants

As I was hand washing our clothes today over our outdoor washboard sink, I instinctively grabbed another pair of pants from my basket and as soon as I looked at them, huge guilt feelings came to my mind. Why would I feel guilty about washing a pair of my husband’s old pants? Well, these pants go back to our Pre-Paraguay days when we were first married. We were getting our start in adventure racing and for his birthday I wanted to surprise him by buying the best adventure racing pants on the market. I scrimped and saved to make an extravagant online purchase (still a novelty in those days). Yet, they were so expensive; he didn’t want to wear them! Since they are expedition weight, they are too heavy for Paraguay’s heat. I feel guilty today and I know I won’t ever buy $100 pants again for Norb, myself or anybody.

Not because I don’t like to buy quality. I do.
Not because I don’t think he’s worth it. He is.

Since moving to Paraguay, I have seen too much poverty, too many children without clothes and I simply can’t justify extravagant spending when so many go without.

I am not writing this to make anyone feel bad about their nice clothes; I’m writing to self-disclose that it is easy to get carried away with consumerism and buying “the best.” Why do we need “the best” anyway? If I’m worth it, isn’t my Paraguayan neighbor worth it too? The only difference is that I CAN purchase $100 pants; that’s more money than what he’ll see in the next month.

So, what would it look like to intentionally forego “the best” of something and give the surplus to someone in need? I think what I’ve been learning about simplicity and stewardship these days is the joy of self-sacrifice to help someone else. Truth of the matter is, we hardly buy any new clothes anymore. Instead of buying 1 pair of pants for $100, we load up our suitcase with goodwill finds for ourselves and bless those around us when we come home and still have change in our pocket. Once you know poverty by a first name, you’re never the same.

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard." Isaiah 58:6-8, NRSV

How can your lifestyle be adjusted to take into consideration the poor around you?

What extravagance in your life can you exchange for simplicity?

When was the last time you got involved with helping the poor?

Do you know poverty by a first name?

Animal Kingdom

Yesterday we got in touch with nature! Since the animals are trying to escape the scorching tropical heat, they all seem to migrate into our home.

I heard a noise in my fern, right outside the front door and realized a dove was making her nest in my house plant. I told Norberto I was going to take the nest out, until I realized that she's already laid an egg. Last night, momma dove flew right into our living room. At least she feels at home with us! When she went out to take a break from her nest, we snuck over to show Timmy the egg.


Right now we have residing in our humble abode:

2 lizards
5-6 green toads
countless beetles, flies, mosquitoes and June bugs

We sprayed against cockroaches (my personal enemy) in March and so far we haven't had any yet this summer. Thank God!

Here's a picture of the toad that hangs out on the door every night to catch the bugs that are attracted to the light. His name is "Toady;" kinda cute, don't ya think?

What unexpected creatures do you have living in your home?

Thanks to YOU, we won!

I am truly in shock and humbled to have won the Haiku contest, because ALL the entries were so creative. My heart is full of gratitude! I want to thank:

1. Shannon for putting together a fun contest. There is so much work to coordinate these things and I am grateful to you for bringing the blogging community together, once again.
2. All the great folks that donated such wonderful prizes. I will truly cherish each one.
3. To friends, family and strangers that helped out a desperate missionary get some chocolate!
4. God- from whom all blessings flow!

Here are the results:

Can God be Trusted?

I (Julie) finished my first book of 2009. Admittedly, I started the book in November, but I’m still going to count it toward my new year’s goal of 12. Is that cheating? I read, “Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts,” by Jerry Bridges. It isn’t one of those warm and fuzzy Christian books. The concepts hit the core of my struggle with several uncontrollable issues in my life. Last year was a difficult one for our family. We experienced loss, we saw broken family relationships and tensions and personally we suffered a miscarriage and work overload. Honestly, the message seemed to come at just the right time for me.

The first chapter of the book is, “Can God Be Trusted?” an age-old question of humanity. His premise is three-fold:

God is completely sovereign.

God is infinite in wisdom.

God is perfect in love.

He uses the scripture from Lamentations 3:37-38 “Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?” and Matthew 5:45,“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Although this might seem offensive to many people, because they don’t want to accept that both good things and calamities come from God; we must realize that God has a loving purpose in every affliction that He allows to come our way. Romans 8:28 promises, “We know that in ALL things work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

My favorite analogy in the book refers to the above-mentioned passage. The author explains, “The ‘things’ of Romans 8:28 are like the ingredients of the biscuit dough. By themselves they are not tasteful to us. We shun them. And we certainly shun the heat of the oven. But when God in His infinite skill has blended them all together and cooked them properly in the oven of adversity, we shall one day say, ‘it is good.’” p. 152.

God is in control of nations, natural disasters, illness, childlessness, world affairs, physical deformities, and all other difficulties of life. However, “God doesn’t willingly bring affliction and grief to the children of men” (Lam. 3:32-3). Our response must be one of learning to trust that God is in control, even when we don’t understand. When we trust God in times of adversity, we are honoring God and bringing him glory. God’s honor must come BEFORE our feelings (Matt. 26:39). The good news is that our afflictions are always accompanied with the compassion and consolation of God. He sites the apostle Paul as a prime example of someone who did not receive ameliorization from his pain, but he received grace.

The most challenging concept in the book is only addressed at the end. He states that our role is to trust, to pray (he shares his view on how long we must pray over a specific issue), and to act when the time is right. That is understandable, right? However, the author’s last point is that as Christians, we are to be thankful in good times AND bad times as I Thessalonians 5:18 states, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It is not in a natural virtue to show gratitude, especially when life is hard. Thanksgiving in all circumstances (whether favorable or not) is a response to the trustworthiness of God. The author believes God uses trials to develop our character and to discipline us at times. We should not expect the Almighty to explain Himself, instead we should trust that what is happening He has orchestrated in a wise and loving way for our good.

Bridges believes that God’s goal for us is not necessarily comfort or happiness, but conformity to Christ in ever-increasing measure. What do you think? Do you agree with Bridges?

2008 in Pictures

From Drop Box

 

We've compiled a mosaic of our memories of 2008. We're grateful to God for another year of beautiful living and we're looking forward to a fresh start in 2009. We hope you have time for positive reflection of the past year and purposeful projection into the new year. Happy New Year!